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Organic activism: How can organic investors and consumers fight the good fight?

Organic Trade Association’s conference dives into brand activism and engagement

Maggie McNeil
(
mmcneil@ota.com
(202) 403-8514
(202) 615-7997
)
Washington , DC
US
 (
April 10, 2019
) — 

Today’s organic industry was built on activism and leadership. Its founders challenged conventional wisdom by creating a new vision for agricultural production, built upon the premise that if the organic community worked collectively to create stringent voluntary standards for food and agriculture, families would see its value.

That vision has come to pass, with a flourishing organic sector supported by strict federally mandated organic standards, and consumers and families across the nation trusting organic and choosing organic for themselves and their households.

The Organic Trade Association’s “Bold Ideas & Critical Conversations” 2019 annual conference on May 22 in Washington, D.C. will feature two related sessions on keeping alive that original activism and engagement.

The “Investing in Organic Leadership: The Role of Capital in Endowing Organic’s Future” session will look at how to convince today’s organic investors of the value of directing resources to support the tenets that ensure the continued strength of the Organic seal. It will be moderated by Robyn O’Brien, Executive Director, AllergyKids Foundation, and includes Gary Hirshberg, Co-Founder & Chief Organic Optimist, Stonyfield Farm; Kellee James, Founder & CEO, Mercaris Corp.; and Sara Eckhouse, Executive Director, FoodShot Global (invited).

The “Finding Your Brand’s Activism Strategy” session is an interactive discussion on creating an action plan that aligns with a company’s core values for spurring meaningful social and environmental change, and deeper engagement with employees and consumers. Discussing this will be leaders from mission-driven brands with strong consumer engagement programs including Matthew Dillon, Senior Director, Agricultural Policy and Programs, Clif Bar; and Maria Balice, Senior Director, Communications and Strategic Partnerships, Applegate.

For more information on the Bold Ideas & Critical Conversations conference and on OrganicWeekDC, see this page.

Leading Edge Thinking. Better Solutions.

Bold Ideas & Critical Conversations.


The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 9,500 organic businesses across 50 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters,